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I sent it to trash as their was no way to launch IE8 - tried many as told in OP.

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If this was a legitimate IE8, it would be in the Internet Explorer folder in your Program Files, which in turn will have an original IE icon in there for activating it. Just checking to see if the folder exists and whether or not it contains IE8 would help the process of clarifying that you indeed received a bogus browser.

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I set language to Portuguese (Brazil) and down loaded IE7 (Into existing download folder. I was given no opportunity to use one I made at your suggestion on desk top.) I started to execute OK but soon it told me a more recent IE was detected so installation could not proceed! –Dam MS sales efforts.

More scary was the sudden black screen appearing tiny fraction of a second with white text and then shut down with automatic restart. That re start turned the internet connection back on, but I killed it again in seconds – well before start up got far along.

Thus with no connection to the internet, I did use the “remove” of the add/remove program found in control panel to remove IE8 – So I thought. But when re-started the execution of install IE7, I again got msg that installation could not continue as more recent IE was installed. Double Dam MS.

So still with no internet connection, I repeated the search on "IE8" (with little brown dog looking) and it found all the things found before plus the folder, called “IE8 Browser” on my desk top I had created. As a test of select and delete of items appearing in the search result, I hit the DEL key, confirmed and it was gone from desk top.

Now, after empty of trash can so I can restore new deletes, I am selecting everything (I am not told is a system file and its removal may not allow system to work properly), in that search result and sending to trash can.

I will try again to install IE7. Got again msg that cannot proceed as more recent version exists.

I have reconnected same machine to internet to send this msg. If this machine crashes, I can used another computer to read any replies, suggestions or comments on what I have done. There are still couple dozen* files in the internet folder that gave warning about possible system failure if deleted. I think I should empty trash can, and then delete one small one with that warning and see if that does cause any problems. Perhaps I go on the "drop one every few hours" plan, followed by new try to install IE7?

I signed into and read Email msg at Yahoo, and word works, so seems little damage done so far.

* later by edit: No there are 71-52 = 19. I selected all in the trash can, said delete. Then it asked if I wanted to kill 52 files, and I said no. (I just wanted the count.)

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But when re-started the execution of install IE7, I again got msg that installation could not continue as more recent IE was installed. Double Dam MS.

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If it's like Windows Media Player was on XP, a successful removal of IE8 would have reverted you to an earlier version of IE (perhaps IE7 itself) still stored as a back-up.

I recollect having had to occasionally resort to removing programs manually on XP, in the past, when an automatic uninstall repeatedly failed. Again, that means going to Program Files and finding the applicable program folder, then deleting either its contents or the whole folder. Afterwards using Glary Utilities, CC Cleaner, etc., to clean-up the registry garbage that still remains. But this concerned third-party programs. Windows may not allow the deletion of the contents of an Internet Explorer folder.

On XP, you can find Program Files by clicking My Computer and then the applicable disk drive (same one that the Shared Documents folder appears under). If the OS blocks you from Program Files with a superficial warning that amounts to "You shouldn't be tampering with anything here", just opt out of that security precaution. It will still prevent the user from waywardly deleting anything in the vital Windows folders.

Some lesser material of IE8 may still remain in certain hidden folders that you would have to access Folder Options settings in order to eventually view and delete the stuff; but to bother with that now is to over-optimistically assume that the system will allow the manual deletion of the Internet Explorer folder (or just its contents relevant to IE8). Glary Utilities also has its own Uninstall sub-program that sometimes (but rarely) accomplishes what the Windows version will not.

If internet explorer is installed it will run, negating the whole usage of a desktop link. ...

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I´m nearly sure i have done that already, but will try again, but have little hope as have already also tried another way to run without any click on an icon. For example, after CNTR+ALT+DEL the box that appear does have a run tab that allows you to type in name of the program you want to run. My full IE did not run even then also. Now that I have put 52 of its files in the trash can I´m not expecting much from your first suggestion but thanks. I´ll wait for others to comment on your second before trying that. QQ thinks my machine may have been captured and the thief may be clever enough to note I have detected it - do real damage to me then, if I understood him correctly. Thus, I will do (again?) a run attempt via start:run with the link to internet off.

Later after doing that: nothing came up on screen, certainly no msg telling me connection could not be made. Problem is install of IE7 stops and tells there is a more recent version of IE installed so it can´t install IE7. I.e. install.exe finds it even if clicks on icons, or different "run" cmd procedures can´t.

tip: If the problem keeps reinventing itself than you can be pretty confident that you are not going to loose everything due to the malware, if present, recognising it's been found. As it woud have already done all it's going to do.
From experience certain hijackings will result in a total scramble if the malware is detected and any attempt at removal is made. In this case you have already told your machine that you know it has a problem and so far you are still up running abeit compromised.
So the sophistication of the malware, if present, is medium and not high.
Also you maybe running a few "independent " issues simultaneously confusing the prognosis.

Run it and take a copy of the log produced, PM me the log. (You could post it publicly however it will show all the gut's and gore that make up your current computer build, which might have some small amounts of data you don't necessarily want to share)

I'll take a look at the log and see if I can identify if there's been a breach and maybe if your lucky I'll be able to put some steps forwards on how to deal with it.

From experience certain hijackings will result in a total scramble if the malware is detected and any attempt at removal is made.

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Trojans and Worms are usually responsible for the "Scrambling" on the older OS's, mainly due to them "Hooking" to where files are executed, read or written to. Removing that component often leaves a part of the process not "hooked" back up which is when you start getting loads of error messages or not being able to execute certain extensions etc.

In fact this does bring up an important point missed about using Windows XP, whether or not it's updated to Service Pack 3 or not. (without being updated to that, then it will be open to all sorts of exploits)

YOU coud try simply renaming the internet explorer folder to "internet explorer0001" for example and then create a new empty folder "internet explorer" then install the IE7 file to the new folder.
There for confusing all address refferences that are looking for the renamed folder.
If the malware is pesent this action will tigger any reponse it has waiting [ internet connected or not is irrelevant ]
what do you think Stryder, C C, about the above....

Trojans and Worms are usually responsible for the "Scrambling" on the older OS's, mainly due to them "Hooking" to where files are executed, read or written to. Removing that component often leaves a part of the process not "hooked" back up which is when you start getting loads of error messages or not being able to execute certain extensions etc.

In fact this does bring up an important point missed about using Windows XP, whether or not it's updated to Service Pack 3 or not. (without being updated to that, then it will be open to all sorts of exploits)

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good points!
I also presume that Billy has backed up any "my documents" data files.... critical files to memory stick or cd

BTW it sounds like you are going to have to do a reformat of the hard drive no matter what any way, due to the system crashes, restart issue. So maybe consider that this is highly likely as well. Whist it may be nice to know what has happened it may not be feasable nor economical to bother.
In my case I always work on the basis that reformat is possible and even though it is a Pain in the butt it seems these days that a regular reformat and reinstall is becoming a standard procedure.

BTW it sounds like you are going to have to do a reformat of the hard drive no matter what any way, due to the system crashes, restart issue. So maybe consider that this is highly likely as well. Whist it may be nice to know what has happened it may not be feasible nor economical to bother.

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I don't agree with that assessment of the situation, but it may be the fastest way as long as you've been doing regular backups. If you don't have current backups there might be the problem of losing data you would rather not lose. One thing I did on more than one occasion was to reinstall XP into a new partition. This makes it possible to recover wanted files and saved emails at your leisure. But you do need enough disk space for this to work.

Run it and take a copy of the log produced, PM me the log. (You could post it publicly however it will show all the gut's and gore that make up your current computer build, which might have some small amounts of data you don't necessarily want to share)

I'll take a look at the log and see if I can identify if there's been a breach and maybe if your lucky I'll be able to put some steps forwards on how to deal with it.

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just intalled this from the link provided... fantastic tool...thanks Stryder....

I don't agree with that assessment of the situation, but it may be the fastest way as long as you've been doing regular backups. If you don't have current backups there might be the problem of losing data you would rather not lose. One thing I did on more than one occasion was to reinstall XP into a new partition. This makes it possible to recover wanted files and saved emails at your leisure. But you do need enough disk space for this to work.

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yeah, this is a good idea... but wonder about the actual method to do so?
coud be similar to what I am runing using a separate mirror hard drive same sort of effect I guess but with out the "separation" of the hardware.
possibly copying the email files .bak [i think] via the window explorer into a back up folder woud be advantageous... [ I did this ages ago in case of a restore issue meaning the loss of emails. seemed to work well enough]

yeah, this is a good idea... but wonder about the actual method to do so?
could be similar to what I am running using a separate mirror hard drive same sort of effect I guess but with out the "separation" of the hardware.
possibly copying the email files .bak [i think] via the window explorer into a back up folder would be advantageous... [ I did this ages ago in case of a restore issue meaning the loss of emails. seemed to work well enough]

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When you install XP into another partition, all your personal directories in the old XP will be locked up tight and you will most likely need some support to get them unlocked. Also, you need to reinstall all MS updates and fixes and that can be very time consuming. I think the last time I had to do that, the list was about 180 updates to reinstall and on a slow XP system that was many hours of work.

You know I would have thought Windows 7 wouldn't have needed so many updates and high security fixes, but I get many new updates every month and am well over a 100 already and it's only been a couple of years now. I guess some things never change?

My old machine with fan not working ran vista and I did use the backup program of vista before switching to this XP machine. There area few files in new XP that have newer stuff I would not like to lose, but I don´t know how to back up with XP. There is a program called nero, but it seems to be for making copies of CDs & DVDs. How do I back up into a pen drive? (sorry to be so ignorant of this stuff.)

I´m 99% sure Service pack 3 ran - I tend to throw updates of all types out after a few months to save disk space.

My old machine with fan not working ran vista and I did use the backup program of vista before switching to this XP machine. There area few files in new XP that have newer stuff I would not like to lose, but I don´t know how to back up with XP. There is a program called nero, but it seems to be for making copies of CDs & DVDs. How do I back up into a pen drive? (sorry to be so ignorant of this stuff.)

I´m 99% sure Service pack 3 ran - I tend to throw updates of all types out after a few months to save disk space.

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single instance: just copy and paste via Windows explorer to the drive via My computer

When you install XP into another partition, all your personal directories in the old XP will be locked up tight and you will most likely need some support to get them unlocked. Also, you need to reinstall all MS updates and fixes and that can be very time consuming. I think the last time I had to do that, the list was about 180 updates to reinstall and on a slow XP system that was many hours of work.

You know I would have thought Windows 7 wouldn't have needed so many updates and high security fixes, but I get many new updates every month and am well over a 100 already and it's only been a couple of years now. I guess some things never change?

problem with windows is it tries to to do too much and satisfy too many with out the time to do it in. IMO
Too many variations of machine configuration out there, no global standards that really count etc etc .. you know the story..too many options spoil the cake...
some say that windows 98 was the best ever and you know they are probably right...
thsi is why like Fire fox over most other browsers it's core appears to be stable

single instance: just copy and paste via Windows explorer to the drive via My computer

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Thanks I can do that into same pen drive I used before. If after that, I delete* the 19 files of IE8 that told me doing that may cause system problems and it does, how do I get a working machine back (for free) to reload files from the pen drive backup?

*Probably by stryder´s post 25 second part instead of individually as it may know more than the 19 (Recall I put 52 IE8 files that did not give that warning into the trash and they are still there. Probably best to restore them before doing stryders delete procedure.

The 19 files that told me dangerous to delete are all at same location:
C:\WINDIR\system32\CatRoot\{F750E63-38EE-11D1-85E5-00C04FC295EE}
But with slightly different names. Things like KB2618444-IE8, except the largest (47KB) one is just called ie8.
All but it have names that start with KB & end –IE8
About half like example above use 7 digit numbers between these ends and other half use 6 digit numbers.

thus I am confused as to what to used after "cmd" in Stryder´s post 25 delete method. there he said:
"... once the commandline box has opened type in:
%windir%\ie8\spuninst\spuninst.exe

(%windir% is usually something like C:\Windows) ..."
After QQ proding, in post 11 I reported finding this location for the IE8:
C:\Arquivos de programas\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe" -extoff